FAISALABAD: In the last nine years, the government installed only a signboard inscribed with a slogan “Thank you Uncle Shahbaz! Someone thought of a hospital for us” at a piece of land earmarked for 600-bed Children’s Hospital.

The hospital for Faisalabad was announced in 2005, however, nothing except the barren land can be seen there. On the other hand, ratio of child mortality is increasing in the district with every passing day.

Sources said as many as 3,309 children breathed their last at the paediatric wards of the Allied Hospital in 2013 due to absence of facilities crucial for treatment.

In 2009, death statistics of children were about 1,500 and 2007 recorded more than 8,942, the sources added.

Doctors say the absence of a hospital for children is resulting into deaths of dozens of children every year at the Allied and the DHQ hospitals. Paediatricians of the district have to refer child patients to the Children’s Hospital Lahore that is adding to the woes of the families.

FAISALABAD: Land meant for children’s hospital. — Dawn

He said 14-bed pediatrics emergency ward had two warmers, one was out of order. Similarly, he said a ceiling fan was also in full swing and the doctor asked the nurses to slow it down but they could not do so as the fan’s regulator was missing.

Abid Ali of the Tariq Road said he had to visit the Children’s Hospital Lahore for heart-related surgery of his minor son, Ahmed. He succeeded in getting appointment of doctors after four months and that also through political connection.

Talking to Dawn, he said his son had undergone a surgery but passed away the next day. He said his son’s death was caused by four months delay in operation for which he had to borrow money.

The Children’s Hospital project will cost about Rs3billion and it will provide services to the districts of Faisalabad, Jhang, Toba Tek Singh, Chiniot, Bhakar, Sargodha, Layyah and Mianwali. An amount of Rs900 million will be spent on equipment and machinery while the remaining amount of Rs2 billion will be spent on construction.

A pediatrician, Dr Khalid Paracha, said people had to wait for months for treatment of their children. He said low-income families could not afford expenditures of frequent travel between Faisalabad and Lahore.

Young Doctors Association central secretary Syed Salman Kazmi said federal and provincial governments needed to redefine their priorities and complete all the pending healthcare projects. He said the government must spend a handsome portion of budget on health.

Dawn contacted the project director of the Children’s Hospital, Prof Asghar Butt, and sent him queries for his reply through SMS but he did not respond.

An officer, requesting anonymity, said the government would have to appoint an independent project director rather than handing over the responsibility to any paediatrician. He said part-timers could not pursue the issues of the Children’s Hospital that was why the project was delayed.

Published in Dawn, July 15th, 2014